Chapter 9: Young Master of The Marquis of Danyang

He appeared to be a rather self-satisfied young man, exuding an air of someone untouched by the hardships of the world.

Qingyuan had rarely seen anyone so spirited and full of vitality—it was as if the shadowy, burdened world treated him with unusual kindness. He seemed like a favored child of fate, untouched by adversity, destined to live like a beam of light.

Sometimes, it only takes a glance to form an impression of someone. Qingyuan quickly came to her conclusion, then found herself a bit amused—girls really do tend to judge by appearances. But this young man truly had a dignified and proper look.

Back when she was still with the Chen family, she would occasionally go out during festivals like the Flower Festival or the Lantern Festival, yet she had never seen anyone quite like him. Beautiful things are rarely disliked, and even the fact that his kickball had hit her seemed forgivable.

He approached in a hurry, but behaved with decorum when he reached her. He gave a deep bow and asked, “Did I hurt you, miss?”

Handsome and well-mannered—he became even more admirable. Qingyuan returned the gesture with her hands folded and shook her head with a smile.

Well-bred young ladies don’t usually speak much. If she answered every question, it might seem improper. The young man picked up the ball and only then looked at her closely. That glance left him momentarily stunned, and then a soft, tender light rose in his eyes. His curved eyes smiled like crescent moons.

“I’m terribly sorry. My kick went astray and accidentally hit you. Please forgive my recklessness,” he said, glancing around. “May I ask who you came with? I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.”

Those who attend spring banquets are, of course, from reputable families. But even so, it wouldn’t be proper for a young lady to reveal her identity so casually. Qingyuan simply shook her head. Not responding at all would be impolite, so she replied courteously, “I’m truly unharmed, sir. There’s no need for concern.”

In current times, it wasn’t considered improper for unfamiliar men and women to meet, but speaking too much was still deemed inappropriate. Qingyuan tugged at Qinghe’s sleeve and said, “Elder Sister, shall we go take a look over there?”

The “over there” she referred to wasn’t far—just a dozen or so steps away. A small shift in location would be enough to end the conversation.

Qinghe agreed and was about to nod politely to the young man when, by coincidence, Li Guanling returned with a servant. In the aristocratic circles of Hengtang, most of the men were acquainted with one another. He called out, “Chunzhi, another game broken up already?”

The young man called Chunzhi turned his head. The bright spring sunlight shone on him, and from the side, his thick, dark lashes looked even more delicate than a girl’s.

Seeing the servant carrying two folding stools, he realized that Li Guanling must know the sisters. This was the perfect opportunity to build a bridge. He tossed the kickball to a substitute on the sidelines so they could continue the game, freeing himself up. Smiling, he said, “Not quite. I was careless earlier and accidentally hit this young lady. I came over specifically to apologize. You know them?”

Li Guanling smiled with a touch of pride and a hint of embarrassment. He proceeded to make introductions, gesturing toward the sisters. “These two are the eldest and fourth daughters of Lord Xie, the military governor.” Then he gestured to the young man beside him. “This is the third son of the Marquis of Danyang.”

The third son cupped his hands in greeting. “I am Li Chunzhi.”

Now that identities had been revealed, proper greetings were in order. Qingyuan was still young and new to this social circle, unfamiliar with the noble families of Shengzhou. But Qinghe had heard of the Marquis of Danyang. Most of the marquises and dukes granted titles by the court owed their status to ancestral merit; very few were directly related to the imperial family.

The Marquis of Danyang was one of those few. His title had deep roots, and every eligible noblewoman had his family on her list of ideal matches. Marrying into the Marquis of Danyang’s household was nearly the top choice.

The Marquis had three sons. The eldest and second were born of concubines and already married, so they weren’t worth mentioning. The third son, Li Chunzhi, was the cherished child of the official wife. He held a noble status and had a handsome appearance. She had heard people speak of him before, and now that she saw him in person, he truly lived up to the reputation.

Indeed, a person’s composure is never without reason. Qingyuan silently admired the hidden talents gathered at this spring banquet. When she looked up again, her gaze met Li Chunzhi’s smiling eyes.

“Though Guanling and I are not of the same clan, we are close friends and call each other brothers. So, in a way, I suppose I’m already half-acquainted with you sisters,” he said with a reserved tone. Even as he addressed them warmly as “younger sisters,” it didn’t come across as presumptuous.

His gaze lingered quietly on the fourth Miss Xie’s face. Having heard of her background, he couldn’t help but study her more closely. In his world, he had never encountered someone like her—striking beauty paired with an ambiguous origin. This combination made her all the more intriguing.

Li Guanling, naturally playing the peacemaker, smiled and said, “A friendship born from a little mishap, perhaps. These two sisters rarely attend banquets, so even though we all live in Hengtang, it’s no surprise we haven’t met before. Next year, when Fourth Sister comes again, she won’t have to worry about not knowing anyone—at least she’ll have someone to talk to.”

Qingyuan smiled and responded politely, but she didn’t take the encounter to heart.

She had only come along this time to accompany Qinghe and wasn’t particularly interested in making new acquaintances. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she followed the others to watch the kickball game. The match was lively and intense, and she soon found herself caught up in the excitement. But after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she suddenly realized Qinghe had disappeared.

She let out a soft “huh,” puzzled, and quickly looked around. The surroundings were filled with blooming flowers, but there was no sign of Qinghe.

Li Chunzhi noticed her confusion and thought to himself, Young girls really haven’t seen much of the world. He said gently, “No need to worry, little sister. They’ll be back shortly.”

Only then did Qingyuan understand—she had been deliberately left behind so the others could have some time alone. She gave a slow “oh” and withdrew her gaze.

As for Li Chunzhi, a well-bred nobleman with plenty of experience—he had broken hearts and been slapped by women—he naturally felt a certain fondness for pure and untainted girls. The fire that had once broken out in the Xie family’s inner quarters only deepened his curiosity about this Fourth Miss. He decided to strike up a conversation. “Fourth Sister doesn’t talk much, does she?”

Qingyuan was momentarily taken aback, then replied that it wasn’t so. She just wasn’t used to chatting casually with strangers.

“There’s no need to be so reserved, little sister. I was classmates with several of your brothers. If you mention me to them, they’ll surely know who I am,” Li Chunzhi said. His speech was measured and composed, carrying a natural air of refinement. When speaking to young women, he followed all the proper decorum—his approach was sincere and courteous, without a trace of inappropriate eagerness.

To Qingyuan, however, those brothers of hers were no different from strangers. The Xie family had three sons—Zhengze, Zhenglun, and Zhengjun—all well-educated and proper gentlemen. But to her, the sister who had been taken in halfway through life, they remained distant.

Still, family matters weren’t something to be shared with outsiders. Even if one day he did mention her to her brothers, they would surely respond with polite affection, putting on a show of sibling closeness.

Qingyuan wanted to preserve her brothers’ dignity, so she smiled and said, “Is that so? My brothers are studying at the official academy. Their coursework keeps them very busy, so we rarely get the chance to talk.”

Li Chunzhi replied, “There’s a military examination this autumn, and it’s different from previous years. In the past, it only tested riding, archery, spearwork, and endurance. This year, they’ve added strategy as a component, so their studies must be even more demanding. But I hear your third brother has a happy event coming up—he’s getting married next month?”

Qingyuan responded with a soft “mm,” saying, “Preparations are already underway at home. And with my eldest sister’s marriage also approaching, perhaps we’ll have a double celebration.”

Her gentle and composed manner of speaking was quite endearing. Li Chunzhi didn’t want to stare at her directly, so after their eyes briefly met, he only glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She sat there holding a round fan to shield herself from the sun. Though the March sun wasn’t harsh, a young lady’s delicate skin couldn’t withstand much exposure. The light filtering through the fan was already softened, yet it still left a faint blush on her cheeks.

Strangely, the sky seemed clearer, the breeze quieter—it even felt a little warm. He opened his folding fan and, without saying anything, began to fan himself slowly. The breeze from the fan drifted toward her, stirring the strands of hair at her temple, though she didn’t seem to notice. He smiled slightly and asked, “Does Fourth Sister often leave the residence?”

Qingyuan replied, “Our household is quite strict. I only go out when there’s something important, and then only with my grandmother.”

“And when there’s nothing going on?” It was the first time he’d ever been curious about how girls spent their time in the inner quarters.

Qingyuan smiled playfully, “Leisurely moods and leisurely days—when there’s nothing to do, I’m like a little immortal.”

He nearly laughed out loud. At first, he had thought she was a prim and proper girl, but clearly, he had misjudged her. She had the liveliness of her age, a touch of innocence, yet carried herself with calm composure. The only pity was that she had been born to such a mother—if that flaw were to hinder her future, it would be a great shame.

Of course, Qingyuan didn’t care what he was thinking, because she had just spotted Qinghe returning. A girl in love couldn’t hide the happiness on her face. As soon as she saw Qingyuan, her expression was full of things she wanted to say but couldn’t.

Thanks to Li Chunzhi’s earlier hint, Qingyuan didn’t foolishly blurt out, “Where did you go, Elder Sister?” Instead, she stood up with a reserved smile and said, “Let’s go back to Grandmother.” This spared Qinghe a great deal of awkwardness.

Qinghe agreed and gave Li Chunzhi a shy smile. The two sisters walked off together toward the main tent. After a while, Qinghe glanced back and asked, “What were you and the Marquis of Danyang’s son talking about?”

Qingyuan understood—on the surface, the Xie sisters were all harmony and affection, but behind the scenes, not necessarily so. She feigned ignorance and replied vaguely, “He said he studied with my three brothers and talked a lot about the upcoming military exam.” Then she teased, “Did the eldest son of the Earl of Kaiguo say when he plans to propose to you?”

Qinghe blushed and murmured, “Don’t talk nonsense. What if someone hears and laughs at us?”

“What’s there to laugh at?” Qingyuan smiled. “It’s practically a done deal. You’re just staying quiet out of consideration for Second Sister, aren’t you?”

After spending some time with Qingyuan, Qinghe realized that her younger sister was exceptionally clever. She had assumed that, given Qingyuan’s young age, she wouldn’t understand much, but in fact, Qingyuan was well-versed in the ways of the world. Looking back, Qinghe felt she had underestimated her and was a little ashamed. Not wanting to admit it outright, she simply patted Qingyuan’s hand and said, “At least you helped cover for me. After all, we’re sisters—offending one another wouldn’t be good, right?”

Qingyuan responded with a soft “mm,” and said, “Don’t worry, Elder Sister. Grandmother will handle the rest. I think she’s quite pleased with the Earl of Kaiguo’s son. As long as the elders agree, it doesn’t matter whether others are happy or not.”

All in all, this outing had been worthwhile. While they were away, their grandmother had a pleasant and engaging conversation with the Countess of Kaiguo. Now, they were just waiting for the magistrate’s wife to formally act as matchmaker, and the matter would be nearly settled.

On the way back, their grandmother subtly probed, asking about the Earl’s eldest son’s character and manners. “From what you saw, did he seem frivolous or disrespectful?”

Qingyuan was always careful with her words. After a moment’s thought, she replied, “My experience is limited, and I didn’t speak much with the young lord. But from what I observed, he seemed very proper and respectful—nothing rash or inappropriate.”

The old lady nodded and was silent for a while. Then she suddenly asked, “Did you meet the Marquis of Danyang’s son today?”

Clearly, under the bright daylight, nothing could be hidden. The Marquis’s son was already a figure of attention, and Qingyuan—being a girl of uncertain background among noble daughters—was bound to draw notice if there was any interaction. She didn’t even need to explain; the old lady already knew.

Qingyuan had assumed that, given the Xie family’s opportunistic nature, they would be eager to seize such a connection. But her grandmother’s words surprised her.

The old lady lowered her eyes and said, “The Marquis of Danyang’s family is far too powerful. They’re not the same as us. Remember what I say—best to avoid getting involved with them.”

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